For Virginia

Just when she thought she had remembered, she saw a young girl standing by the road, crying.

Virginia scolded herself for even thinking about stopping. After all, she needed to get to the interview. The thought of missing that opportunity hung on her like a milestone. Still, for some unknown reason, she felt drawn to this child. She was not unfamiliar with tears and might be able to offer a kind word.

She knelt beside the little girl and put a hand on her shoulder. When she did, the girl abruptly jumped backward. She looked up through soggy eyes, and said, "Who are you?"

Virginia was about to give her name when she looked closely at the child. Beneath the tears and soft features of her face, Virginia thought she looked familiar.

"My name is Virginia," she said, still kneeling. "Why are you crying?"

The little girl stared at Virginia, hesitated, looked left and right, and then said, "I think I missed my bus."

"That makes two of us," Virginia said. "Where are you going, maybe I can help."

"I'm not sure where I'm going," the girl said, a puzzled expression encompassing her face. "I've been here for a little while, but I can't remember where I came from or where I need to go." She wiped her eyes with the back of her suede coat. "Does that sound strange to you?" Virginia recognized a flicker of hope in her tiny facial expression.

"Not at all. I'll bet I can help," she said, not really sure why. Virginia had no idea how she could help this little child. Figuring out her life was a full time job, and she wasn't doing so well lately. At least she thought she wasn't.

"Where are you going?" the little girl asked.

"For a job interview," Virginia said.

"Where?" the girl said, looking toward town.

Virginia thought for a moment, but a burst of pain flashed through her body and the lights were back. She reached for the girl to steady herself.

The girl said nothing, but held firmly to Virginia's arm. Finally, Virginia looked up and tried to smile at the girl. "Weird pains lately," she said, letting go of the girl and standing up.

"What kind of job are you trying to get?" the girl asked.

"Job?" Virginia asked.

"You said you were going for a job interview," the girl said, smiling. "What kind of job is it?"

Virginia looked at the girl for a second and wondered about her curious nature. She started to tell her about the job, but suddenly paused.

"What's wrong?" the girl asked.

"I don't know," Virginia said. "It's just that all of a sudden, I can't remember what the job is. Isn't that odd?"

"I'll say," the girl said, giggling as softly as a fluttering hummingbird. "You're as silly as me, wandering lost in the city."

Virginia was about to say something, but found that the little girl's eyes now mesmerized her. She looked into them, as if they were deep caves with long sought after secrets. Secrets that she somehow needed to know. She barely noticed when the little girl reached out and took her hand.

Virginia stood up, still clinging to the girl's hand, still gazing into the swirling pools of mud-brown eyes. So familiar, so hauntingly similar, yet distant, like an oscillating reflection in a wind swept lake.

From out of nowhere, a bus silently pulled alongside the curb. The door opened and a small stairway led inside.

"Where are we going," Virginia asked, stepping into the bus.

"We'll know when we get there," she said. Together they boarded the awaiting bus.

The doctor moved to the side of the bed and gently lowered the rail.